IndustryEmbraer decides to assemble E175 jet in India with Adani
Embraer and India’s Adani Defence & Aerospace have agreed to establish a final assembly line for the E175 regional jet in India, defining for the first time which aircraft would anchor their industrial partnership.
The companies had signed preliminary agreements in January without specifying a model. The updated memorandum of understanding confirms that the E175 will be the aircraft assembled locally, subject to securing sufficient orders to sustain production.
The E175 is best known for its role in the United States regional market, where scope clause restrictions limit the size and weight of aircraft flown by regional affiliates of major airlines. In that environment, the jet typically operates with 76 seats, a configuration that has made it the dominant aircraft in its category.
In India, the E175 is already operated by Star Air, the country’s only regional airline flying Embraer aircraft. The carrier also operates ERJ145 jets on domestic routes linking smaller cities.
The proposed final assembly line forms part of India’s Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA) initiative, which seeks to expand connectivity to secondary and tertiary cities while strengthening local aerospace manufacturing.
India has increasingly required foreign aerospace companies to partner with domestic groups and develop production capabilities within the country. Adani Defence & Aerospace, part of the Adani Group conglomerate, has expanded into defense manufacturing, maintenance and pilot training in recent years.
India is forecast to require around 500 aircraft in the 80- to 146-seat segment over the next 20 years as traffic grows and regional networks expand. The E175 seats up to 88 passengers in a high-density layout, but its typical 76-seat configuration aligns with its established operational profile.
Embraer currently has close to 50 aircraft operating in India across commercial, defense and business aviation segments. The final assembly proposal signals a deeper industrial commitment to the market as the country seeks to build domestic aerospace capability.
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